Inventors:
Edwin O. Stengard - College Park MD
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC
International Classification:
B21J 700
F16L 1510
Abstract:
A toggle mechanism pinches a metal tube and maintains the tube in a pinched condition, without fracturing. The toggle mechanism includes a plunger translatable along a longitudinal axis, as well as a pair of links pivoted about a common axis extending through an end of the plunger. One of the links also pivots about a fixed axis. A free end of the other link carries a push link which the other link translates at right angles to the plunger longitudinal axis. First and second sides of the tube bear against a first stop block and are engaged by the push link when a compresson spring, attached to the plunger, is suddenly released to irreversibly drive the plunger along its longitudinal axis so the pivot point of the two links is driven to an over travel position. At over travel, the free end of the push link and the stop block abut against opposite sides of the tube to pinch them together. A second stop block limits the plunger motion so that there is only slight over travel of the links and the push link remains abutted against the tube to continue to pinch the tube.